Mali - Digital Skills for Youth Entrepreneurs : Completion Note

Overview & Synopsis

Mali’s youth face profound labor market challenges, shaped by a fast-growing and predominantly young population, limited access to formal education, and a labor market dominated by informal employment. With over two-thirds of Malians under 25 and nearly 300,000 young people entering the job market annually, the country struggles to provide sufficient job opportunities, especially for those with little to no formal training. A significant portion of youth, especially those out of school, remain unemployed or underemployed, with many turning to informal entrepreneurship as a survival strategy. However, these small businesses often lack the foundational skills and support needed for growth and sustainability. The main objective of this study is to assess the digital skills of youth entrepreneurs in Mali and examine how these skills relate to the performance and sustainability of their businesses. By focusing on beneficiaries of the Mali Skills Development and Youth Employment Project, P145861, PROCEJ in French, a World Bank-supported initiative that provided training, seed funding, and mentorship to young entrepreneurs, the study aims to generate evidence on the actual digital competencies of youth and how these affect their ability to operate and grow their enterprises in a challenging economic environment.